Drop-light.



PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

E. E. GROVE.

DROP LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED rm. 12. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904. L

PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. GROVE, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GROVEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SPRING-FIELD, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,534, dated May 24,1904.

Application filed February 12,1904. Serial No. 193,226. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. GROVE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Drop-Lights, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying:drawings.

This invention relates to drop-lights, and is in the nature of animprovement upon what is set forth in a former application, filed by meSeptember 19, 1903, Serial No. 173,77 8. I

The invention relates to that class of droplight which may be readilyattached to any part of an ordinary gas fixture or chandelier, so astobe supported therefrom, and which may be readily lowered to apredetermined point when in use and raised and held out of the way whennot in use.

My present invention relates more particularly to that portion of thestructure which guides the device during its vertical movements andwhich holds it in place when raised, and has for its object to providemeans for guiding the device in an efficient manner during its verticalmovement, for supporting it in such a way as to insure a true verticalposition when lowered, and to more securely lock it in position whenraised.

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which Iwill now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a gas-fixturehaving my improved drop-light applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the guiding and supporting device detached. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the same, partly in section. Fig. 4is adetail sideelevation showing the position of the parts when the drop-light israised and locked in raised position. Fig. 5 is a detail bottom planview of the locking-collar detached, and Fig. 6 is a view illustrating amodified form of the clamping-arm.

In the said drawings the device is shown in Fig. 1 applied to achandelier having straight arms, although it may be readily applied tocurved or vertical portions of the chandelier or bracket with equalfacility. The chandelier-arms are indicated at 1 and the usual burnersand stop-cocks at 2 and 3, respectively.

4 indicates the drop-pipe, constructed of metal and provided at itslower end with a suitable burner or lamp 5, which is offset from theline of the pipe by a curve or bend 6. 7 indicates a flexible pipe orhose, which connects the upper end of the drop-pipe with one of theburners of the fixture. These parts may be of any suitable construction,and are similar to those shown in my prior application, herein referredto. In connection with them are employed stop-collars on the drop-pipeand a guiding and supporting device cooperatin g therewith andconnecting the drop-pipe With the gas-fixture. This guiding andsupporting device comprises an elongated base or body portion 8,provided on one side with guiding and locking devices for the lock-pipeand on the other side with clamping devices to engage the fixture. Theseclamping devices are preferably similar to those set forth in my priorapplication and comprise a fixed screw 9, projecting from the back ofthe base, near the center thereof, and having mounted thereon aclamping-nut 10, preferably a wing or thumb nut, as shown.

11 indicates the clamping-arm, provided with a central aperture 12,(shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2), said aperture being sufiicientlylarge at its smaller end to pass freely over the screw 9 and flaring orincreasing in diameter from said smaller end, so as to permit the arm torock or tilt upon the screw, upon which. it is also free to rotate. Oneend of the arm 11 is provided with a toe 13, which is adapted to bearuponthe base 8 and form a fulcrum for said arm. The other end of saidarm is preferably curved or recessed, as shown at 1 so as to grip one ofthe pipes or arms of the gas fixture or chandelier and clamp the samefirmly against the base 8 when the thumb-nut 10 is tightened Since theclamping-arm is free to rotate on the screw, the device may be appliedto any part of a chandelier, whether the same be vertical, horizontal,or inclined,

straight, or curved. IVhatever its position may be, it will beunderstood that the base will be so turned as to be substantiallyvertical.

At its upper end the base is provided on the side thereof opposite tothat on which the clamping device is located with asleeve 15, whichconstitutes a guide and support for the drop-pipe, which passes throughsaid sleeve and slides therein. In order to prevent bind ing of the pipeduring its vertical movements, the opening of said sleeve is preferablymade flaring or of gradually-increasing diameter upward, so as to have alimited area of contact around the drop-pipe. At its lower end, which islocated at a considerable distance from the upper end, the base or body8 is provided with a projection 16, which is recessed vertically, asindicated at 17, to fit against the rear of the drop-pipe, which itembraces on both sides, said recess being open at the front to permitmovement of the drop-pipe in that direction. The upward flare of theopening in the sleeve 15 also permits this movement of the drop-pipe.The projection 16 is grooved transversely, as indicated at 18, therebyforming a double hook 19, between the branches of which the drop-pipepasses.

The drop-pipe is provided above the sleeve 15 with a collar 20, which ismovable along the drop-pipe, so that it may be adjusted to any desiredposition, and which may be secured after adjustment by a clamping-screw21. The lower part of the drop-pipe is provided with a locking-collar22, which'is also adjustable on said drop-pipe and which may be securedin position after adjustment by means of a set-screw 23. Thislocking-collar is provided on its rear under face with a downwardlyextending hook projection 24, which is adapted to enter from above thegroove 18 and engage with the hook projection 19 of the guiding andsupporting device. The back of this collar and its hook projection ispreferably flattened, as shown at 25, to permit the same to pass upwardalong the front face of the base 8 when being engaged with or disengagedfrom the hook projection of said base.

In practice the stop-collar 20 is adjused so as to give the desiredposition to the droplight when lowered, and when said light is thuslowered said collar 20 rests on the sleeve 15 an d prevents furtherdownward movement of the drop-light. At the same time the droppipe isheld in proper alinement by the sleeve 15 and by its engagement with therecess 17 at the lower end of the guiding and supporting device, beingthus guided and supported at two points sufficiently far apart tomaintain the drop-pipe in a true vertical position. The bend 6 at thelower end of the drop-pipe will ordinarily be so turned as to bring theweight of the lamp or burner 5 on that side of the drop-pipe which isnearest the mouth of the recess 17, and this ofiset weight will preventany movement of the drop-pipe toward the mouth of the recess 17, whichincloses the drop-pipe in all other directions, andtherefore preventsany movement thereof from its vertical position. When it is desired toraise the drop-light out of the way, the locking-collar 22 having beenadjusted to the proper position, the entire device is moved upward, thelower end of the drop-pipe being swung out, so as to permit the collar22 to clear the hook projection 19. When the collar 22 has passed beyondsaid hook projection, the drop-pipe is swung back into engagement withthe recess 17 and moved downward until the hook projection 24E of thecollar 22 enters the recess 18 and engages the hook projection 19,whereupon the parts become firmlylocked and can only be disengaged byraising the entire droplight, the weight of which is sufficient tomaintain the parts in secure engagement with the projections verticallyinterlocked.

While the construction of the locking device set forth in my priorapplication is an eflicient and satisfactory one, I have found inpractice that there are circumstances where the rotary motion of thedrop-pipe necessary to lock the parts would bring the lamp. into contactwith the fixture, and thus necessitate a shifting of the locking-collarto avoid this difficulty. My present construction overcomes thisobjection, since no rotation of the droppipe is required to lock theparts. Furthermore, the interlocking is more secure and effective, sincethe parts cannot be disengaged by accidental rotation of the drop-pipe,as in my prior construction.

Where the pipes of the fixture are of large diameter, as in the case ofold fixtures, I may employ the form of clamping device shown in Fig. 6,in which the fixed screw (indicated at 26) is made of a greater lengththan in the construction shown in the remaining figures, theclamping-arm having a sleeve 27 fitting on said screw, so as to slidethereon, and a single arm 28, having a curved clamping-surface 29, whichis provided with teeth or otherwise roughened, so as to adapt it tofirmly grip the arm or pipe.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself strictly to theprecise details of construction hereinbefore described, and shown in theaccompanying drawings, as the same may obviously be modified withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a drop-light attachment of the character described, a guiding andsupporting device comprising a body having means for connection with agas-fixture, a sleeve at the upper end of said body in which thedrop-pipe may slide freely, and a projection at the lower end of saidbody provided with a guiding-recess in which the drop-pipe removablyfits, in

combination with a drop-pipe having a stop located above the sleeve,said drop-pipe being provided with a pro ection arranged to interlockvertically from above with the projection of the body, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a drop-light attachment of the character described, a guiding andsupporting device comprising a body having means for connection with agas-fixture, a sleeve located at the upper end of the body in which thedroppipe may slide freely and rock, and a projection at the lower end ofthe body forming an upwardly directed hook provided with an open-mouthedrecess in which the drop-pipe removably fits, in combination with adroppipe having a stop located above the sleeve, said drop-pipe beingprovided with a downwardly-directed hook projection arranged tointerlock vertically from above with the projection of the body andprevent lateral and downward movement of the drop-pipe, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a drop-light attachment of the character described, a guiding andsupporting device comprising a body having means for con nection with agas-fixture, a sleeve at the upper end of said body having anupwardlyenlarged opening in which the drop-pipe may slide freely androck, and a projection at the lower end of said body having anupwardlydirected hook projection and provided with an open-mouthedrecess in which the droppipe removably fits, in combination with adrop-pipe having a stop-collar located above said sleeve, and alocking-collar located below said sleeve, said locking-collar beingprovided with a downward]y-directed hook projection to interlockvertically from above with the corresponding hook projection of thebody, said collars being longitudinally adjustable on the drop-pipe,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. GROVE.

Witnesses:

E. O. HAGAN, IRVINE MILLER.

